Infectious Diseases in Daegu

Infectious diseases are disorders caused by pathogenic microorganisms, such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, or parasites. They can spread, directly or indirectly, from one person to another. Some infectious diseases are transmitted by insects or other animals. Infectious diseases can also spread through the consumption of contaminated water or food or exposure to organisms in the environment.

The branch of medicine that focuses on infectious diseases is called infectiology, which is a subspecialty of internal medicine. Doctors who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases are called infectious diseases (ID) specialists. While most common infections can be treated by general internists and other specialists, ID specialists are frequently called upon to help diagnose and assist in treating or managing unusual, difficult, or complicated infections. Since many infectious diseases are related to other medical conditions, ID specialists work with doctors in many specialty areas, such as doctors trained in dermatology, immunology, or cardiovascular medicine. 

Some of the most common infectious diseases that ID specialists diagnose, treat, and manage include:

• Bone and joint infections
• Heart valve infections
• Blastomycosis
• Complicated urinary tract infections
• Lyme disease
• HIV/AIDS
• Viral hepatitis
• Rubella, Measles, and Mumps
• Malaria
• Cholera
• Dengue
• Ebola
• Sepsis
• Tuberculosis
• Rheumatic fever
• Travel medicine
• Tick-borne infections
• Meningitis
• Pneumonia
• Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
• Post-operative infections.

There are numerous procedures that ID specialists and other specialists use to diagnose, prevent, and treat infectious diseases. These include, but are not limited to:

• Laboratory tests, including blood tests, urine tests, stool samples, throat swabs, and a spinal tap (lumbar puncture)
• Imaging scans, such as CT scans, MRIs, and X-rays.
• Biopsies.
• Antibiotic therapies
• Immunizations
• Infection control
• Fecal microbiota (stool) transplant
• Antimicrobial therapy (OPAT)
• Antifungal therapy
• Anti-parasitic therapy.

How Long Should I Stay in Daegu?

Your length of stay depends on the severity of your infection and which organ is affected by the infection. Some types of infectious diseases may require hospitalization, while others do not. It is generally advisable that you plan to stay in Daegu for at least 7 to 14 days. Even if you do not need hospitalization, some types of treatment may require several appointments. In addition, you may also need to attend follow-up checkups.

What's the Expected Recovery Time?

Recovery time after infectious disease can vary, depending on the type and severity of the infection. For some infectious diseases, the healing process can take time and it can take a few months until you can resume your normal activities. Some other types of infectious diseases, however, only need around 2 weeks or even less of recovery time. Your doctor will tell you when you can return to work and resume your normal activities.

What Aftercare is Required?

Your doctor will give you detailed aftercare instruction. It is important to follow every instruction closely. They may also tell you prevention measures to decrease the risk of infection from occurring in the future. These include washing your hands frequently, to get vaccinated, practice safe sex, travel wisely, stay home when ill, prepare food safely, and avoid sharing personal items. 

What's the Success Rate?

Active research in infectious diseases has resulted in new discoveries that help doctors to refine the treatment and management approach to infectious diseases. The success rate of infectious disease treatment has increased significantly in the past several decades. Some types of treatments even have 90% success rates.   

Are there Alternatives?

There are a number of products that have been studied for preventing or shortening the duration of some infections, such as vitamin C, vitamin D, garlic, ginseng, and zinc. However, it is best that you see your general physician, a specialist, or an ID specialist to treat your infection instead of taking alternative medicine.  

Infectious Diseases in and around Daegu

About Daegu

Daegu is the fourth largest metropolitan city in South Korea with a population of over 2.5 million. Daegu is also known as “Textile City” because textiles used to be the pillar industry of the city. The city is home to big electronic companies such as Samsung. Daegu is famous for its oriental medicine and is also called Medi-City.

Daegu has become increasingly popular among domestic and international medical tourists. The city has been developing its healthcare infrastructure as well as promoting it. Daegu won Korea’s Leading Brand Award for three years in a row (2015, 2016, and 2017) for its contribution to South Korea’s medical tourism. In 2017, Daegu had the first successful arm transplant in Korea.

Hospitals in Daegu offer primary care such as General Health Check-Up, Cancer, and Serious Disease Surgery; Beauty care such as hair transplant, skincare, and plastic surgery; Other medical care would be dentistry, ophthalmology, and oriental medicine. The City is equipped with the world’s best medical technology, excellent medical practitioners, and affordable healthcare.

Popular Areas in Daegu

Daegu is fascinating in many ways, from shopping in the traditional market to hiking in beautiful locations. The following is a list of popular attractions in Daegu.

• Seomun Market is the oldest traditional market in the city and has around 4000 vendors. Tourists can buy high-quality traditional Hanboks as well as men and women's clothing. Tourists should also try their famous Soemun fishcake, Bibimbap, and Sujebi.
• Donghwasa Temple, the most famous temples in Daegu is full of history from the 17th century. The temple has beautiful architecture and various Buddhist statues including a 17-meter high statue of Buddha.
• Daegu Yangnyeongsi Museum of Oriental Medicine is the largest Oriental medicine center in Korea. The museum provides insights to the 350-year-old traditions of Oriental medicine and medicine markets.
• Daegu Apsan Park, a large eco-park that is one of the most popular hiking spots in the city. Tourists will find Suseong Pond and various hiking routes in the park. A cable car is also available for tourists who don’t want to hike. Tourists can see a beautiful landscape of Daegu from this park.
• Daegu National Museum showcases the unique cultural heritage of Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do. Visitors can participate in museum activities such as trying traditional dyeing and learning traditional herbs.

Weather and Climate in Daegu

As in the rest of South Korea, Daegu has four distinct seasons. The city is a year-round destination for tourists.

• Spring in Daegu starts from April to June, the sky is mostly sunny in spring.
• Summer comes from late June to August; the average temperature is 21 - 25°C. Summer is also the rainy season.
• Autumn is when the temperature usually starts to get chilly as the average temperature drops around 9 - 21°C, the city is very colorful during this season because the autumn leaves are blooming.
• Winter falls between December and March, the average temperature ranges between 0.6 - 7.8°C.

Getting Around in Daegu

Daegu International Airport is the gateway to Daegu. The airport is also a military base for the ROKAF’s 11th Fighter Wing. The airport operates domestic and also has several international flights. Daegu International Airport connects Daegu with major cities in Asia such as Tokyo, Bangkok, and Shanghai. Budget airlines that operate flights in the airport are T’way Airlines, Tigerair Taiwan, VietJet Air, and Asiana Airlines.

Daegu International Airport is located on the east side of the city. To get to the downtown area, tourists can take bus No. 401, the fare is 1.100KRW. Tourists can also take a taxi, it usually takes 25 minutes to reach the city center and the fare is around 7.000KRW.

After arriving in Korea, tourists should purchase a T-money card from vending machines in the subway or convenience store. The card will help and save tourists from the hassle of buying single-journey tickets. The card can be used on subways, public buses, and in most taxis.

Daegu provides a City Tour Bus for tourists which passes may cultural sites and tourist attractions. It departs from Daegu Tourists Information Center, Dongdaegu Train Station, and Bandwoldang at 11.00 am each day. It should cost around 5.000KRW. Daegu has three subway metro lines and the subways run from 05.30 am to 11.30 pm.

Taxis are easy to find and relatively cheap. A taxi ride gives more flexibility for tourists. People in Daegu do not use street numbers so it can get pretty confusing, make sure to know the nearest landmark to your destination for directions.

Tourist Visas in Daegu

Foreign citizens of 107 countries under Visa Waiver Agreements do not need a visa to enter South Korea. Citizens of other countries that aren’t in the list (including China, India, and Russia) need to apply and obtain a visa.

South Korea provides an electronic visa application through Korea Visa Portal to simplify the process of applying for a visa. You can also go to the embassies or consulates of South Korea in your country.

Additional Information

• Local Currency: Korean Won (KRW) is the official currency. 1USD converts to 1149.00KRW.
• Money & Payments: ATMs are widely available. Tourists can withdraw money from ATMs with a ‘Global’ sign. Credit cards are accepted in hotels and established restaurants. Make sure to always carry some cash because market stalls and small restaurants only accept cash. Tipping is generally not expected.
• Local Language: The official languages of South Korea are Korean and Korean Sign Language. The script is written in Hangul. English is spoken in tourist areas. Most hotel and restaurant staff understands Basic English. All airports and train station signs are written in Hangul and English.
• Local Culture and Religion: 50.5% of Daegu’s population is Buddhist followed by Christian at 17.9%. The rest of the population are mostly not religious or follow other indigenous religions.
• Public Holidays: Daegu follows both solar and lunar calendars, but most of the holidays are held according to the lunar calendar. The city hosts a number of festivals such as Colorful Daegu Festival, Daegu Yangnyeongsi Festival, and Dongseongno Festival. The dates for these festivals differ from year to year.